ZooBorns

Spritely Little Meerkat Chap from Bristol UK

Last week, Bristol Zoo visitor Mark Eastment got some great photos of a baby Meerkat pup out enjoying the sun with mom. Bristol Zoo Gardens’ new Meerkat exhibit, called Meerkat Lookout, was officially unveiled to the public on February 21st. The state-of-the-art enclosure was opened by 11-year-old Joe Romain, from Brentry, who cut the ribbon after winning a competition run by the Bristol Evening Post to name the new attraction. Builders have been hard at work over the winter months, constructing the meerkats’ new £100,000 home. At 152 square metres in size, it is over three times bigger than the previous enclosure, with space for up to 25 Meerkats.

Photo credits: Mark Eastment

Bristol Zoo's Lion Twins Make Their Public Debut

The twin Asiatic lion cubs born at Bristol Zoo Gardens made their public debut last Friday. The cubs - a boy and a girl - are just 10 weeks old and were born on Christmas eve to first time mum, Shiva, and dad Kamal. Asiatic lions are critically endangered and there are only around 400 left in the wild. Since their birth, the cubs have been monitored in the cubbing den via a CCTV system by Bristol Zoo’s experienced mammal team.

Critically Endangered Cubs at Bristol Gardens

Born Christmas Eve, twin little Asiatic Lion cubs have just begun to emerge at Bristol Zoo Gardens. The 10 week old cubs, one male and one female, are quite shy and spend most of their days enjoying quiet time in the den or hiding in the undergrowth of their outdoor enclosure. However, Assistant Curator of Mammals, Mel Bacon, reports that “Both cubs are fit, healthy and strong and have been suckling well, and Shiva is proving to be an excellent first-time mother. The cubs have recently started to eat meat and are getting more adventurous, exploring their enclosure." Asiatic lions are critically endangered and there are only around 400 left in the wild.  Two thousand years ago they once roamed the whole of the Middle East. More recently they were widespread throughout northern India and Pakistan, but their numbers have been drastically reduced by hunting and habitat destruction.

Photo credits: Photos 1 and 3 Bristol Zoo Gardens. Photo 2 Shaun Thompson

To help protect the Asiatic lion from extinction, Bristol Zoo Gardens is participating in an internationally co-ordinated conservation breeding programme. There are fewer than 100 Asiatic lions in captivity throughout the world and it is important to ensure that all lions are pure bred and that pairs are not closely related to one another. Bristol Zoo’s cubs will eventually be introduced to new, un-related, animals as part of the breeding programme.

This is the first time Bristol Zoo has bred cubs in 10 years - previous cubs were born in 2001 and 1998.

Endangered Baby Tapir Arrives at Bristol Zoo

There is a new addition to Bristol Zoo’s Brazilian Tapir family. A tiny baby calf will join parents Tamang and Denzil and big sister Tip Tap. The three week old Brazilian Tapir calf has been sexed as male and is the seventh born to the Zoo’s current adult Tapirs. The calf currently has a distinct spotted and striped coat of light brown fur that is similar in all young Tapir species and provides ideal camouflage in their native forest habitat. However, this coloration will slowly disappear between six and nine months of age to be replaced with an overall coloring of dark, chocolate brown. Emily Pugh, senior mammal keeper at Bristol Zoo Gardens, said: “The calf is strong and full of life and can be seen exploring his enclosure with his mother.” Emily added: “He is very inquisitive, always learning and discovering, but likes to stay close to mum, Tamang.”

Photo credits: Peter Budd/Bristol Zoo Gardens

Currently the size of a small dog, the little calf will grow up to be the size of a Shetland pony, reaching his full adult size and weight of anything between 150-300 kg (330-660lbs) by the age of fourteen months. The birth of the calf is a significant contribution to the conservation of Brazilian tapirs, which are currently listed as ‘Vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List of threatened species. Threatened with extinction from extensive hunting and deforestation, the breeding programme in which Bristol Zoo Gardens is involved helps raise awareness of the threats facing tapirs in the wild.

England's Meerkats Show Home Team Pride

World Cup fever has spread to Bristol Zoo Gardens where the meerkats have spent the week playing with miniature soccer balls. Meerkats are inquisitive animals and footballs provide the perfect enrichment toy to play with. Keepers at Bristol Zoo are keen to show their support for the England team and are hoping that a win today will be ‘simples’.

Photo Credits: Bristol Zoo and Gardens

Bristol Zoo's Baby Snail Boom!

One of the world’s most endangered animal species is successfully breeding at Bristol Zoo Gardens. The tiny young French Polynesian tree snails are just 2mm long and are the latest arrivals in the last population of these snails left anywhere in the world. The species, known as Partula faba, which is endemic to the Island of Raiatea, is extinct in the wild, and these last snails have recently been given to Bristol Zoo Gardens in a critical effort to help save the species from total extinction through conservation breeding.

What's a Pudu?

Earlier this summer, the Bristol Zoo welcomed a baby Pudu to its fold. Born weighing just 1kg (2.2lbs), the tiny youngster is part of an international conservation breeding program. Pudus are the world’s smallest species of deer, standing just 38cm at the shoulder when fully grown and weighing around 9-15kg (20-33lbs). A male’s antlers only grow to 10cm long.

Special thanks to rhubarbed and ungulate dave for the pics.

Tiny Turtle at the Bristol Zoo

Smaller than a matchbook (see picture below if you don't believe us) and weighing just 15 grams or the same as a few paper clips, this Chinese box turtle was born a few weeks ago at Bristol Zoo Gardens. Endangered due to overhunting for meat and medicinal purposes, Chinese box turtles are quite social and congregate in groups. In captivity they have been known to live up to 50 years.

Hatching in mud can be messy...

Thanks to ZB reader Meredyth for bring this to our attention.